Saturday, January 7, 2012

Christmas Gift Tag Book for my Daughter-In-Law!

For Christmas this year we had an added event. Our son, Andrew, married a girl he met as a high school freshman. Brittany joined the family at an absolutely beautiful affair on December 23rd. If you think you were tired on Christmas Day after all your festivities, imagine adding a wedding to your holiday list. But, happy we are to have Brittany become a Larson and to make her first Christmas with us special, I decided that I had to make her a piece of art that was unique and meaningful.

I started with old luggage tags that were rescued before they could be discarded. I added gesso, acrylic paint, metallic paint, model paste, fabric, ribbon, buttons, beads, chipboard, paper - you name it. Below are some photos of the finished piece. I didn't post it until now because I didn't want her to see it before she received it.

The binding is batik fabric sewn on and bound using hand-dyed silk ribbon and hand painted beads.

This page uses chipboard letters covered with tissue paper, paint and acrylic medium along with other media.

I used a piece of her shower invitation along with a doily and various papers, paints, sequins and angelina fibers.

Of course, I had to get an extra invitation from a friend to cut up and add to the book. A few buttons and papers thrown in there too.

I applied some of the techniques I learned from Beryl Taylor at CREATE Chicago last summer.

Some hand-dyed fabric and a gold leafed mother-of-pearl button were used here.

A little love poem and lace with gold accents made these tags very pretty.

As always, the actual book looks much richer when it is in your hand, but I am happy that Brittany was happy with it and now has a special keepsake from me to my Daughter-In-Law.

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About Me

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved fabric. Having a mother and grandmother who sewed very well I was taught early about a sewing machine. I went through the usual stages - doll clothes, my clothes, prom dress, home decor, baby items and clothes for my children. I dabbled in various other media and tried my hand at several crafts. I always returned to my sewing machine and fabric. And over time, I developed some pretty good skills.
Then one day a few years ago during graduate school I met a woman who introduced me to art quilting magazine and I was hooked. I poured over that magazine for hours. I realized that all the other things that I had tried over the years would still apply as I worked my way into art quilting. I now make mixed-media art quilts. I've decided that I will only use my machine and my valuable time to make what I cannot buy. Unique one-of-a-kind pieces that bring me a sense of peace and accomplishment. So, after a few years of experimenting, I launched this blog so I could meet some other fabric enthusiasts as I make my way through my random acts of piece.